ROCS Kun Ming
History
Taiwan
Name
  • Kun Ming
  • (昆明)
NamesakeKun Ming
BuilderDCNS, Lorient
Laid down6 November 1994
Launched13 May 1995
Acquired1997
Commissioned26 February 1997
HomeportZuoying
IdentificationPennant number: PFG-1205
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeKang Ding-class frigate
Displacement3,200 tonnes, 3,800 tonnes fully loaded
Length125 m (410 ft)
Beam15.4 m (51 ft)
Draught4.1 m (13 ft)
Propulsion4 diesel SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2, 21,000 hp (16,000 kW)
Speed25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range
  • 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
  • 9,000 nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Endurance50 days of food
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 × ETN boats
Capacity350 tonnes of fuel, 80 m³ of kerosene, 60 tonnes of potable water
Complement
  • 12 officers
  • 68 petty officers
  • 61 men
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
ArmourOn sensitive areas (munition magazine and control centre)
Aircraft carried1 × Sikorsky S-70C (M)
Aviation facilitiesHangar and helipad

ROCS Kun Ming (PFG-1205) is a Kang Ding-class frigate of the Republic of China Navy.

Development and design

As the ROC (Taiwan)'s defensive stance is aimed towards the Taiwan Strait, the ROC Navy is constantly seeking to upgrade its anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The US$1.75 billion agreement with France in the early 1990s was an example of this procurement strategy,[1] the six ships are configured for both ASW and surface attack. The Exocet was replaced by Taiwan-developed Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missile and the AAW weapon is the Sea Chaparral. The main gun is an Oto Melara 76 mm/62 mk 75 gun, similar to its Singaporean counterparts, the Formidable-class frigates. Some problems in the integration of Taiwanese and French systems had been reported. The frigate carries a single Sikorsky S-70C(M)-1/2 ASW helicopter.

The Sea Chaparral SAM system is considered inadequate for defense against aircraft and anti-ship missiles, so the ROC (Taiwan) Navy plans to upgrade its air-defense capabilities with the indigenous TC-2N in 2020.[2] The AMRAAM missiles will be quad-packed in a vertical launch system for future ROCN surface combatants,[3] but a less-risky alternative arrangement of above-deck, fixed oblique launchers is seen as more likely for upgrading these French-built frigates.

Construction and career

Kun Ming was launched on 5 November 1994 at the DCNS in Lorient. Commissioned on 5 October 1996.

In 2010, she visited Palau, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu by the Dunmu Voyage Training Detachment led by Major General Mei Jiashu.

On 25 May 2013, Kun Ming encountered a US military aircraft reconnaissance on its way back from Taiping Island. Kunming's observation spot used a high-powered telescope at 4:35 pm to find an unknown aircraft 5 miles away from the left front of the warship. The warship was radioed throughout the mission. Launching control, at that time, we observed by observation, and at the same time used electric reconnaissance to confirm and grasp the other party's dynamics. The whole distance was 5 miles away from Kunming. She kept the radio silent because of the mission, and the US military approached the confirmed target.[4]

She participated in the 2014 Dunmu Voyage Training Detachment, which was open to visit at East Pier 5 of the Keelung Naval Base from March 26 to 27. The supply ship ROCS Wu Yi served as the flagship for Kunming and ROCS Tzu I. Major General Li Dongfang led a team to visit the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Palau.

Participated in the Dunmu Voyage Training Detachment in 2018. ROCS Wu Yi served as the flagship for Kunming and ROCS Pan Chao. They sailed for a total of 105 days with a voyage of 23,000 miles. In order to effectively save navigation time and fuel consumption, Cooperating with the planning of the route of the visit, it passed the Panama Canal twice to and from the Pacific and the Atlantic. Major General Gao Jiabin led a team to visit the Marshall Islands, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala.[5][6]

On 15 December 2018, the West Wharf of the Zuoying Military Region, Kunming held the Celebration of the 21st Anniversary of the Army and the Family Relations.[7]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ "France authorizes frigate sale to Taiwan". Defense Daily. 2 October 1991. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  2. ^ "La Fayette frigates' missile upgrade set for 2017". Focus Taiwan. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2015. (subscription required)
  3. ^ Lundquist, Edward H. "Interview with Adm. Richard Chen, Republic of China Navy (Ret.)". www.defensemedianetwork.com. Defense Media Network. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  4. ^ ETtoday新聞雲 (4 June 2013). "昆明艦無線電靜默 海軍：美反潛機偵察無敵意 | ETtoday政治新聞 | ETtodayAMP". ETtoday新聞雲 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  5. ^ 自由時報電子報 (2018-06-17). "敦睦艦隊返國 龐大軍艦通過運河畫面曝光！ - 政治". 自由時報電子報. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  6. ^ "海軍敦睦遠航支隊今返航 拜訪多明尼加後即斷交成遺憾". 蘋果新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  7. ^ NOWnews今日新聞 (2018-12-15). "海軍昆明21周年艦慶 官兵眷屬共襄盛舉 | 軍聞社". NOWnews今日新聞 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2020-11-29.
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